Itinerary · United Kingdom
How Many Days in London? A 4-Night, 5-Day Route and Getting Around
London suits 4 to 5 nights. A day-by-day route from Heathrow to Westminster, the British Museum, the Tower and Kensington, plus transport, budget and timing.
Published
How many days? Four nights is the core
London suits 4 to 5 nights. This plan combines an arrival day with the guide's four-day route for 4 nights and 5 days, and shows how to stretch it to 5 nights and 6 days by splitting the last day's two options (Kensington and Notting Hill, and Greenwich) into a day each.
Many major museums, like the British Museum and National Gallery, are free, but hotels and dining are pricey. The route splits into a Westminster day, a museums-and-river day, a Tower-and-east day and a Kensington day.
- Covent Garden / Soho: first-timers, theater, nightlife. West End theaters and restaurants on your doorstep, but expensive and can be noisy at night
- South Bank / Waterloo: close to the London Eye and riverside promenade, with excellent links from Waterloo station
- Kensington: near the Natural History Museum, V&A and Hyde Park in a calm, upscale area; higher prices
- Bloomsbury / King's Cross: walkable to the British Museum with many Tube lines; some reasonably priced hotels
- Shoreditch: street art and bars in a young neighborhood, a little away from the main sights
Day 1: Heathrow into the city
From Heathrow there are two main choices. The Elizabeth line runs direct to Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and beyond in about 30-45 minutes for about £14, the best balance of speed and price. The Piccadilly line (Tube) is the cheapest at about £5-6 and runs straight to Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus, but it takes about 50-60 minutes and is awkward with lots of luggage.
Arriving elsewhere? From Gatwick, the Gatwick Express runs non-stop to Victoria and Thameslink serves London Bridge and the City (about 30-45 minutes, about £12-22; advance tickets can be cheaper). From Stansted, the Stansted Express runs to Liverpool Street (about 50 minutes, about £20).
Public transport does not accept cash. If you have a contactless card or phone, just tap at the gates; if not, buy and top up an Oyster card at a station. Keep arrival day light: settle into your hotel and rest nearby.
Day 2: Westminster → Buckingham Palace → Trafalgar Square
Start the first sightseeing day at Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. Big Ben and Parliament are best admired from outside, ideally from across the river; the Abbey interior is paid.
The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace runs on set days, so check the official schedule and arrive 30 minutes early. The State Rooms open only in summer (paid). Then walk through St James's Park to Trafalgar Square.
The National Gallery has free masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet and more, and the square offers a view down Whitehall. Finish with dinner in Covent Garden, among the West End theaters and restaurants.
Day 3: British Museum → St Paul's → Tate Modern → London Eye at dusk
The British Museum's permanent collection is free. Plan 2-3 hours around the Rosetta Stone, the Egyptian galleries and the Parthenon sculptures. A Bloomsbury / King's Cross base makes this morning easiest.
After lunch, see St Paul's Cathedral, cross the Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern, then walk the South Bank to the London Eye at dusk. Walking the river from Westminster along the South Bank to Tower Bridge passes most major sights.
Day 4: Tower of London → Tower Bridge → Borough Market → Shoreditch → a show
Spend the morning at the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels (paid). Head to the jewels right at opening to beat the queues, then take in Tower Bridge.
Lunch at Borough Market, the food market by London Bridge station. Weekend lunchtimes are packed, so put this day on a weekday if you can. In the afternoon, explore Shoreditch with its street art and vintage shops.
Evening is a West End show. Use the official discount booth in Leicester Square or day seats and lotteries for cheaper tickets. Watch out for pickpockets and phone snatching around tourist sights and on crowded trains.
Day 5: half a day in Kensington, then the airport (or Greenwich with an extra day)
The guide's last day is the Natural History Museum or V&A in Kensington → Hyde Park → Notting Hill, or a river boat to Greenwich. On a 4-night trip this is departure day, so depending on your flight, the half-day pairing of the Natural History Museum with the free Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens is enough.
For the trip back to Heathrow, the Elizabeth line runs direct from Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and beyond (about 30-45 minutes). Check your airline's guidance on arrival times and leave plenty of margin.
With 5 nights, give day 5 to Kensington → Hyde Park → Notting Hill, and take the Uber Boat (Thames Clippers) to Greenwich on the morning of day 6. These river buses along the Thames accept contactless and double as sightseeing.
Transport, budget and when to go
Ride the Tube by tapping a contactless card or phone; daily and weekly fare caps apply automatically. Tap in and out with the same card. The same fare caps apply to Oyster. Red double-decker buses are cheaper than the Tube, with free bus-to-bus transfers within 1 hour, and the top front seat is a free sightseeing tour.
Per day, budget about £80-100 on a tight budget (hostels, supermarket and pub meals, free museums), about £200-280 with a mid-range hotel, restaurant meals and one or two paid sights, and about £500+ with a luxury hotel and premium theater seats. Restaurants often add a service charge of about 12.5%; if included, no extra tip is needed.
May to September brings long days and the best weather; July and August are busiest and priciest. Average highs, lows and precipitation are 18°C, 9°C and 46 mm in May, 24°C, 14°C and 46 mm in July, 20°C, 12°C and 50 mm in September, and 9°C, 3°C and 57 mm in December (Met Office (UK), 1991–2020, Heathrow station). Winter is grey with short days but has festive markets and lights. Rain is possible year-round, so pack an umbrella.
- VAT is included in displayed prices, and there is currently no VAT refund scheme for tourists
- The UK uses 230V and Type G (three-pin) plugs, so bring an adapter
- Stand on the right on escalators and leave the left side clear
- Check entry requirements, including the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), on official UK government information (GOV.UK) before you travel
Plan your London trip
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FAQ
How do I get from Heathrow to central London?
The Elizabeth line takes about 30-45 minutes for about £14, the best balance of speed and price. The Piccadilly line is cheapest at about £5-6 but takes about 50-60 minutes and is awkward with lots of luggage.
Do I need an Oyster card?
If you have a contactless card or phone, just use it; daily and weekly fare caps apply automatically. Without contactless, buy and top up an Oyster card at a station; the same caps apply.
Is 4 nights or 5 nights better?
Four nights covers almost all of the guide's four-day route, but the last day is only half a day. If you want both Kensington and Notting Hill and Greenwich, 5 nights is more relaxed.
What can I see for free?
The British Museum's permanent collection, the National Gallery and Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens are free. The Westminster Abbey interior and the Tower of London are paid.
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